Clock.



E. E. DUNGAN.

OLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED M126, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

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B. E. DUN GAN CLOCK.

. APPLICATION r: n 970,198. L D m 26 Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER ELLSWORTH DUNGAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO CHARLES 1V1. KLUMP, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Application filed April 26, 1910. Serial No. 557,671.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. DUNGAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clocks, and more especially to that class ofclocks wherein a figure or pointer or movable object is carried over theface of a vertical scale indieating hours and divisions thereof, andwherein when a predetermined hour is reached, the figure or pointer ormovable object is automatically returned to a start ing point.

The present invention has for its object among others to provide asimple and cheap, yet eificient attachment to the works of an ordinaryclock whereby the desired result is attained.

It has for a further object to provide simple and efficient means foraffixing the figure or movable object to the cord or ligament by whichit is carried. I employ a mutilated gear wheel affixed to the hour arborof an ordinary clockwork, the same mesh ing with the teeth of a pinionon the shaft of a drum mounted on the frame of the clockwork and aroundthis drum is wound a cord attached to the figure or movable object. Asthe cog wheel revolves, the cord is wound upon the drum until thetoothless portion of the gear wheel comes to a point opposite the pinionwhen, by reason of nonengagement, the weight of the figure or movableobject causes the same to drop, unwinding the cord and as soon as thenext tooth of the gear wheel comes into engagement with the pinion, thecord again commences to be wound up. I dispense with com Jlicatedmechanism and am enabled to emp oy the same mechanism for any height ofclock, as well as for all styles thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part ofthis specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of aclock constructed in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is avertical section from front to rear as on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is an enlarged face view of the clock mechanism with my attachmentsapplied thereto. Fig. 4; is a rear view of the figure or movable objectwith the cord attached. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the securingpin just as it is about to be sprung into looking position. Fig. 6 is adetail of the locking pin. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the manner ofplacing the guiding means for the movable object through the slot in thetop face.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the front of a vertical clockcase the back of which is preferably movably attached to the body of thecase, as for instance by hinges 2, so as to permit ready access to theinterior of the case and the inclosed mech-' anism when desired.

3 is a vertical slot in the front of the case, upon one side of which isa vertical series of figures or marks beginning at 1 atthe bottom andrunning consecutively to the number 12, and terminating with the numerall at the top. These designate hours,

and between each two figures the spaces may be divided by marksindicating any desired divisions of the hours; in the present instance,these marks indicate the halves and quarters of hours, five minutes,etc.

Suitably supported within the upper end of the case is a frame a inwhich is supported an ordinary clock mechanism 5, minus the hands. Onthe hour arbor 6 of this clock mechanism, I aifix, by friction or anyother means, a gear wheel 7 having one or more teeth removed, as shownat 8 in Fig. 3, so as to leave a small untoothed portion.

9 is a drum preferably flanged, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to prevent thecord from being wound off the end thereof, and this drum is mounted on astub shaft 10 supported in the framework 4C at any desired point,preferably in the location shown in Figs. 2 and 3 where it is out of theway of the rest of the clock mechanism. Fast to this drum at a suitablepoint, as for instance as indicated at 11 in Fig. 3, is one end of acord or other suitable ligament 12 adapted to be wound upon said drum asthe gear wheel 7 revolves and to be unwound therefrom at a predeterminedtime, as will be hereinafter explained. Fast upon the shaft 10 andmovable with the drum 9 is a pinion 13 with which the gear wheel 7meshes. The other end of the ligament 12 is designed to be connectedwith a figure or movable object 14, which, in this instance, is in theform of a mouse. IVhile the end of the ligament may be attached to thefigure 14 in a variety of ways, I have shown in the present instance asimple and efiicient means which I have found well adapted for thepurpose. It comprises two screw eyes 15 screwed into the back of thefigure, the said screw eyes being turned so that their eye portionsextend lengthwise of the figure 14, so as to be readily inserted throughthe slot 2 in the face 1, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 7, and thenturned transversely of the length of the slot, as indicated by dottedlines in said figure and in full lines in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, so as toprevent outward displacement of the figure, the shanks of the screw eyesmoving in the slot 3 and guiding the figure in its movements. After thescrew eyes have been inserted through the slot 3, the bottom eye isfirst turned horizontally, as seen in Fig. 5, and then the end of theligament 12 is inserted in a slot 16 in a pin 17, the smaller end ofwhich is then inserted in the eye of the upper screw eye which is turnedat an angle to the perpendicular, as seen in Fig. 5, and then the pinwhich has a rounded end 18 is turned into a position lengthwise of thefigure 14, bringing the upper eye 15 into its crosswise position, therounded end 18 of the pin springing into the lower eye 15 and theligament is firmly held. Any tendency of endwise movement of the figurewith relation to the ligament serves to more firmly hold the ligament inplace.

In operation, the hour arbor revolves once in twelve hours, and anydesired combination or multiple of cogs may be given to the gear wheel 7and pinion 13 to raise the cord and movable object 14. When, once inevery twelve hours, the untoothed portion 8 of the gear wheel reaches apoint opposite the pinion 13, there will be no contact with the latterand consequently, nothing to restrain the reverse movement thereof and,consequently, of the drum 9, so that the weight of the indicator willcause it to drop back, unwinding the ligament 12 from the drum or spool9 until it is all run off or unwound and the indicating figure 14reaches the starting point. The gear wheel continuing to revolve willsoon again contact with and start to revolve the pinion 13, so as toagain rewind the cord upon the drum and raise the indicator. A properadjustment of the point of attachment of the cord to the drum or spoolcares for and prevents any possibility of cog collision at the beginningof the rewind, the weight of the figure acting as a plumb bob to bringthe teeth of the pinion in proper and uniform place and position for therewind at each descent of the mouse.

The pin 17 will serve effectually without the slot in the end thereof,the end of the ligament being bound firmly between the pin and theadjacent surface of the screw e e.

From the above, it will be seen that I have devised an efficientmechanism for the purpose stated which can be readily applied to aconventional form of clock movement, and while the structural embodimentof the invent-ion as herein disclosed is what I at the present timeconsider preferable, it is apparent that the same is subject to changes,variations and modifications in detail without departing from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. I, therefore, donot intend to restrict myself to the details of constructionhereinbefore set forth, but reserve the right to make such changes,variations and modifications as come properly within the scope of theprotection prayed.

In Fig. 1 I have shown in dotted lines abell and a bell hammer withinthe case, the hammer arm being in position to be engaged by the upperscrew eye on the mouse so that as the mouse approaches the top of theslot, the hammer arm is moved into the up per dotted position and whenthe mouse descends in a manner hereinbefore described, the hammer fallsinto its position indicated by the lowermost dotted lines and strikesone stroke of the bell. WVhile this is desirable, it is obvious that thesame may be omitted without destroying the efliciency of the clock inthe other respects noted.

That is claimed as new is 1. In a clock, a frame, a vertical scale, anobject movable thereover, a multilated gear wheel attachable to the hourarbor of a clock, a drum revoluble by said gear, a ligament passed oversaid drum and connected with said object, and a pinion movable with saiddrum and meshing with said gear wheel.

2. In a clock, a vertical scale, an object movable thereover, a frame, aclock mechanism mounted therein, a. mutilated gear mounted on the arborof the clock, a drum, a ligament connected with the drum and with saidobject, and a pinion on the shaft of the drum and movable therewith,said pinion coiiperating with the gear to raise the drum, and whencoincident with the mutilated portion of the gear allowing said objectto fall by gravity.

3. In a clock, a vertical scale, a movable object movable thereover,means for mov ing said object, a ligament, and wedge means forconnecting said ligament to said object.

4. In a clock, a vertical scale, a movable object movable thereover,means for moving said object, a ligament, screw eyes in said object, anda fastening pin engageable at one end With said ligament and one of saideyes and at the other end With the other eye.

5. In a clock, a vertical scale, a movable object movable thereover,means for moving said object, a ligament, screw eyes engaged in saidobject, and a fastening pin having one end engageable with said ligamentand one eye and the other end adapted to be sprung into engagement Withthe other eye to turn the first-named eye into a position parallel Withthe other of said eyes.

6. In a clock, a clock face having a vertical slot, an object movablealong said slot, a ligament, and means for moving the object along theslot and to automatically release the same to return by gravity to itslowermost position, and swiveled means in said object for attachment ofthe ligament and for allowing of the application of the said object tothe slot.

Signed by me at Philadelphia, Pa., this 25th day of April 1910 ELMERELLSWORTH DUNGAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. BENTLEY COLLINS, WILLIAM J. KENNEDY.

